The depth of feeling heard here and elsewhere on Fe comes at least in part from personal loss; Mela’s mother died last year while he was preparing to record the album. “This is the first music I made that she couldn’t listen to,” he says, “so I dedicated it to her, in the hope that I meet her in the next life.” It’s a fitting tribute, even as it demonstrates the versatility of an artist who’s clearly open to taking on, and meeting, new challenges.